The consequences losing a bid are insidious and exceed lost proposal-writing dollars. A loss can effect staff morale and have an impact on the quality of future proposals. Wins energize your organization. Everyone who worked on the proposal receives an ego boost, and your employees perceive the company as a winner-- a good place to work, and a place providing a sense of job security.

The downsides to writing a losing proposal are considerable. The company has spent a significant amount of money to no avail, and the loss has a demoralizing impact on almost all your employees. They will ask:

• Why do we keep losing, my nights and weekend efforts were for naught.
• Are we ever going to figure out how to win these things?
• Is it time to look for a job with a company that can win?
• The sections of the proposal that I wrote were great. Did the pieces written by others obviously lack something?
• I worked all weekend, missed my kid's soccer game, for what?
• I'm not sure I'm going to put in the same level of effort on future proposals; they can find someone else to beat their head against the wall next time.

Each successive loss raises more and more questions and results in organizational insecurity. No one likes losing.

Write less, win more.